10. Today I appoint youover nations and over kingdoms,To uproot and to tear down,to destroy and to demolish,to build and to plant.
11. The word of the Lord came to me: What do you see, Jeremiah? “I see a branch of the almond tree,” I replied.
12. Then the Lord said to me: You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to carry it out.
13. A second time the word of the Lord came to me: What do you see? I replied, “I see a boiling kettle whose mouth is tipped away from the north.”
14. The Lord said to me, And from the north evil will pour out over all who dwell in the land.
15. Look, I am summoningall the kingdoms of the north—oracle of the Lord—Each king shall come and set up his thronein the gateways of Jerusalem,Against all its surrounding wallsand against all the cities of Judah.
16. I will pronounce my sentence against themfor all their wickedness in forsaking me,In burning incense to other gods,in bowing down to the works of their hands.
17. But you, prepare yourself;stand up and tell themall that I command you.Do not be terrified on account of them,or I will terrify you before them;
18. For I am the one who todaymakes you a fortified city,A pillar of iron, a wall of bronze,against the whole land:Against Judah’s kings and princes,its priests and the people of the land.